Nevertheless, the people did sacrifice still in the high places ,.... Not in those that were built for idols, at least did not sacrifice to them; for it follows: yet unto the Lord their God only ; the Targum is,"to the name of the Word of the Lord their God.' read more
Now the rest of the acts of Manasseh ,.... Good and bad, what were done by him both before and after his conversion: and his prayer unto his God ; which it seems was taken and recorded, but now lost; for as for that which is among the apocryphal writings, there is no reason to believe it to be his, though it is thought to be so by many F15 Vid. Fabritii Bibliothec. Graec. l. 3. c. 31. p. 738,739. : and the words of the seers ; or the prophets, as the Targum; and the prophets in... read more
His prayer also ,.... Was not only recorded in the above annals, but in the writings of another person after mentioned: and how God was entreated of him ; heard his prayer, and showed him favour both in a temporal and spiritual way; for though the Jews would not allow that he was saved, or had a part in the world to come, eternal life F17 Misn. Sanhedrin, c. 11. sect. 2. , yet there appears no just reason why it should be so thought: and all his sin, and his trespass ; his... read more
So Manasseh slept with his fathers, and they buried him in his own house ,.... That is, in the garden of his house; see Gill on 2 Kings 21:18 ; there; to which may be added, that the Jews F19 Cippi Heb. p. 43. in later times buried in a garden; though it was the custom of the ancients, both Greeks F20 Plato in Minoe. and Romans F21 Servius in Virgil. Aeneid. 5. "praeterea si nova", & in l. 6. "sedibus hunc refer", &c.; , to bury the dead in their own houses; hence... read more
Manasseh was twelve years old - We do not find that he had any godly director; his youth was therefore the more easily seduced. But surely he had a pious education; how then could the principles of it be so soon eradicated? read more
Altars for Baalim - The Sun and Moon. And made groves, אשרות Asheroth , Astarte, Venus; the host of heaven, all the Planets and Stars. These were the general objects of his devotion. read more
He built altars - See the principal facts in this chapter explained in the notes on 2 Kings 21:1-17 (note). read more
A carved image - "He set up an image, the likeness of himself, in the house of the sanctuary." The Targumist supposes he wished to procure himself Divine honors. read more
And when he was in affliction - Here is a very large addition in the Chaldee: "For the Chaldeans made a brazen mule, pierced full of small holes, and put him within it, and kindled fires all around it; and when he was in this misery, he sought help of all the idols which he had made, but obtained none, for their were of no use. He therefore repented, and prayed before the Lord his God, and was greatly humbled in the sight of the Lord God of his fathers." read more
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John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - 2 Chronicles 33:16
And he repaired the altar of the Lord ,.... Which was fallen to ruin, being neglected and disused in his times of idolatry: or, according to the Keri, or marginal reading, and so the Targum, "he built it"; which perhaps he had before pulled down and destroyed: and sacrificed thereon peace offerings and thank offerings ; to the Lord, for bringing him out of captivity, and restoring him to his kingdom; and especially for converting him from his idolatries, giving him repentance for them,... read more